Mayor proposes $500K more for Overture in budget

Common Council to make final budget deliberations Tuesday

Eleventh-hour budget changes from the Madison mayor's office could bring compromise to center stage as the mayor revises his funding plans for the Overture Center.

Mayor Paul Soglin's newest budget amendment proposes providing $500,000 more to the Overture Center than his original budget package, for a total of $1.35 million.

"It reflects my willingness to compromise on a couple of points, and while I don't want to be a party to certain practices, if they are contained and limited, I won't stop it," Soglin said.

The extra $500,000 comes with conditions, which include Downtown Madison Inc. and Friends of Madison Parks delivering private contributions for the reconstruction of Lisa Link Park.

Overture Center officials thanked the mayor for the new proposal, but they also pointed out the new funding numbers still fall short of the $2 million the city promised in an agreement made in 2010.

"It's not shocking that we've sort of come back to this every year, but it was a little unexpected. It's not bad, either. This is good, Madison-style democracy," said Robert Chappell, Overture Center spokesman.

Soglin's new proposal also drops the 25-cent bus fare hike in his original budget proposal.

The Madison Common Council will make final budget deliberations on Tuesday.

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